title: Cerebellar cavernous malformations with and without associated developmental venous anomalies.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The clinical profiles of cerebellar cavernous malformations (CCMs) with and without associated developmental venous anomalies (DVAs) are not well known. The aims of this study were to analyze the clinical and radiological characteristics of CCMs and to assess the various therapeutic strategies.
  
  
  METHODS
  A consecutive series of 41 patients with identified CCMs were retrospectively reviewed. Of these, 11 patients (26.8%) were found to have associated DVAs. We compared the clinical profile of the two groups of patients (CCMs with and without DVAs). The CCMs with DVAs cases underwent radical resection of the CCMs, and the distal radicles of the DVAs that directly drain from the CCMs were coagulated and dissected at the length of the CCMs.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were no statistically significant differences between the two groups with regard to age, sex, location and size of lesions, multiplicity, and surgical prognosis. The patients with CCMs with DVAs did not experience any brain swelling or hemorrhagic tendency intraoperatively. The postoperative course was uneventful for all of the 36 surgical patients with the exception of two of the patients with CCMs with associated DVAs, who suffered from serious cerebellar edema, and one of these two patients underwent an emergency suboccipital decompression craniotomy. With the exception of three patients who were lost to follow-up (mean, 22.3 months), all of the CCMs patients exhibited good long-term prognosis (modified Rankin scale values of 0-2) and no reoccurrence.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It is not rare that associated DVAs occur in CCMs. The total removal of the CCM combined with the coagulation and dissection of the distal radicles of DVA at the length of the associated CCM may result in good long-term prognosis in patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, 6 Tiantan Xili, Chongwen District, Beijing 100050, China. caoyong6@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Peifeng
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Lingtong
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.forename: Shuo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Jizong
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhao
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D015901:Angiography, Digital Subtraction; D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D016543:Central Nervous System Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000601:surgery; D002550:Cerebral Veins / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000601:surgery; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D020786:Hemangioma, Cavernous, Central Nervous System / Q000150:complications* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015898:Tomography Scanners, X-Ray Computed; D055815:Young Adult